The medicinal liquid to be sprayed, for example, to the bronchus for treating an attack of asthma is available as contained in a small-sized hand spray container for the patient himself to apply the liquid in an event of an attack. However, the device is of such a construction that it is not reusable when the medicinal preparation contained in the small container has been consumed.
FIG. 1 shows the construction of the device, which will be used in the following manner. When a spray adaptor B is mounted on the head of a medicinal liquid bomb A and is then depressed, a plunger C is slightly pushed into the bomb A against the action of a spring D. Whereas the interior of the bomb A has been in communication with the interior of a measuring container E around the plunger C through a lower recessed portion F of the plunger C, the recessed portion F is pushed out from the lower end of the container E by the above movement to bring the container E out of communication with the interior of the bomb A. The plunger C, projecting upward from the upper end of the measuring container E, has a hollow channel G and a hole H. Simultaneously with the above movement, the portion of the plunger C having the hole H in communication with the channel G is forced into the container E. Consequently a specified quantity of medicinal liquid measured out and accommodated in the container E around the plunger C is forced through the hole H and the channel G and discharged from the adaptor B through a passageway I therein. Even if the adaptor B is held depressed continuously, no more liquid will be discharged other than the measured-out quantity. When the adaptor B is returned, another portion of the medicinal liquid is measured out in preparation for the next application.
With devices of such known construction, the medicinal liquid can be sprayed in specified quantities by measuring-out spray means such as the one described above, but after the medicinal liquid contained in the bomb A has been wholly discharged, it is impossible to replenish the bomb A with the medicinal liquid. Accordingly the assembly of the spray adaptor and the bomb incorporating measuring-out spray means is used only for a limited amount of liquid and is discarded after the liquid has been consumed. Thus the device is costly and uneconomical in view of savings in resources.
Spray devices of the type described are available as filled with a specific medicinal preparation of a pharmaceutical company. However, if it is possible for the pharmaceutist or hospital to fill such a device with a medicinal preparation in accordance with the symptoms of a particular patient, the device would be appropriate and beneficial to both the pharmaceutist or doctor and the patient.
The prior art already described is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,818,908 and 3,900,138. Nevertheless we have found no prior art as to a device which comprises a disposable bomb incorporating a measuring-out spray means and a spray adaptor and which is made replenishable with a medicinal liquid for reuse.
Further we have been unable to discover any prior-art device which is conveniently usable for spraying a medicinal liquid either in specified quantities or continuously in an unlimited quantity, selectively, as contemplated by the present invention.